100 MOST ESSENTIAL ARETHA FRANKLIN SONGS. This post: #5-1. This post concludes the countdown.

Aretha Franklin deserves her title of the ‘Queen Of Soul’. Her unique vocal skill set her apart from singers that came before her and she was an immense influence on those that followed in her wake. She is the subject of a new motion picture and a box set spanning her career has just been released.

Caffè Lattè pays tribute to 100 of Aretha Franklin’s finest recordings, from her early career on Columbia Records and her revolutionary tracks on Atlantic and beyond.

ARETHA  FRANKLIN

 

100 ESSENTIAL SONGS

Hear the songs as the countdown continues on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5gJiqlZYzIZ5KFJmdNPPdO?si=3effc26e4650484e

:5:

FREEWAY OF LOVE

Year: 1985

Album: Who’s Zoomin’ Who?

Produced and co-written by Narada Michael Walden, this single reached the Top 10 in America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The full version on the album runs for just under 6 minutes.

:4:

CHAIN OF FOOLS

Year: 1968

Album: Lady Soul

Like “See Saw”, “Chain Of Fools” was a song written by Don Covay. Jerry Wexler applied his skills on Aretha’s soulful reading, recorded in New York City. The single peaked at #2 Pop and topped the Soul Chart.

:3:

I NEVER LOVED A MAN

(THE WAY I LOVE YOU)

Year: 1967

Album: I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You

Aretha cut this majestic love song at the Fame Studios, Muscle Shoals in Alabama. Rick Hall was the recording engineer. Tom Dowd handled mixing. Jerry Wexler produced the single which climbed to #1 on the Soul Chart.

:2:

(YOU MAKE ME FEEL LIKE)

A NATURAL WOMAN

Year: 1968

Album: Lady Soul

This love song was penned by Carole King and Gerry Goffin from a suggestion which earned Jerry Wexler a songwriting credit. Tom Dowd and Arif Mardin were production assistants on the recording which took place at Atlantic Studies in NYC.

:1:

RESPECT

Year: 1967

Album: I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You

Otis Redding may have written and recorded the original version of “Respect”, but once Aretha attacked the song, it was hers forever. Poor Redding even knew this was the case way back in 1967. Jerry Wexler was at the helm, with Tom Dowd in the role of recording engineer. The latter mixed the track and, with Arif Mardin, assisted in the production. This track alone resulted in Aretha being crowned the Queen Of Soul. Not only did it reach #1 on the Soul Chart, but it crossed over to the summit of the Pop listings too.